Frost dates for Economy, PA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 8
typical year
Safe to plant
April 26
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 8
typical year
Growing season
212 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Onions | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Mar 11 – 25 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Kale | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – 25 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 27 – Oct 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 26 – May 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 26 – May 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 26 – May 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 26 – Aug 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 26 – May 24 | – |
| Basil | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 3 – 10 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 26 | April 8 | March 25 |
| Fall frost before | October 27 | November 8 | November 24 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 29 (April 12 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 15 towns.
Economy, Aliquippa, Ambridge, Baden, Sewickley, Seven Fields, Edgeworth, Bell Acres, Bradford Woods, Leetsdale, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills, Glen Osborne, South Heights, Haysville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GLENWILLARD DASHIELDS L&D, PA US (USC00363343), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
15003, 15005, 15015, 15046, 15056, 15081, 15086, 15143
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.